caution

1 a formal warning given to a person suspected or accused of an offence that his words will be taken down and may be used in evidence.

2 a warning to a person by the police, or in Scotland by the Procurator Fiscal, that while it is considered that there is enough evidence for a prosecution, no such prosecution will take place but that the matter will be kept on file.

3 a notice entered on the register of title to land that prevents a proprietor from disposing of land without a notice to the person who entered the caution.

CAUTION. A term of the Roman civil law, which is used in various senses. It
signifies, sometimes, security, or security promised. Generally every
writing is called cautio, a caution by which any object is provided for.
Vicat, ad verb. In the common law a distinction is made between a contract
and the security. The contract may be good and the security void. The
contract may be divisible, and the security entire and indivisible. 2 Burr,
1082. The securities or cautions judicially required of the defendant, are,
judicio sisti, to attend and appear during the pendency of the suit; de
rato, to confirm the acts of his attorney or proctor; judicium solvi, to pay
the sum adjudged against him. Coop. Just. 647; Hall's Admiralty Practice,
12; 2 Brown, Civ. Law, 356.

CAUTION, TURATORY, Scotch law. Juratory caution is that which a suspender
swears is the best he can offer in order to obtain a suspension. Where the
suspender cannot, from his low or suspected circumstances, procure
unquestionable security, juratory caution is admitted. Ersk. Pr. L. Scot. 4,
3, 6.

He adverted to the recent measures in the province, and cautioned his hearers of weaker parts against calling in question the just severity which God-fearing magistrates had at length been compelled to exercise.

I avoided him during the rest of the passage, by advice of the captain, who seemed to coincide with me altogether in my views of his insanity, but cautioned me to say nothing on this head to any person on board.

He won't move on," says the constable calmly, with a slight professional hitch of his neck involving its better settlement in his stiff stock, "although he has been repeatedly cautioned, and therefore I am obliged to take him into custody.

This fact and the words that had cautioned me that danger lay beyond the KNOTS convinced me that the rope had been severed since my friend had placed it as my guide, for I had but passed a single knot, whereas there had evidently been two or more in the entire length of the cord.

Once a little fish swam too near the surface, and the kitten grabbed it in her mouth and ate it up as quick as a wink; but Dorothy cautioned her to be careful what she ate in this valley of enchantments, and no more fishes were careless enough to swim within reach.

Bloomfield further enlightened me on the subject of her children's dispositions and acquirements, and on what they were to learn, and how they were to be managed, and cautioned me to mention their defects to no one but herself.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.